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Friday, August 3, 2012

A believer in Christ, who has walked in "The Way" for some 30 plus years. A man of God that the Lord has raised up to provide hope and knowledge to believers and non-believers about the Christian faith. A teacher of the Bible that is not afraid to confront the dificult issues surrounding the faith with sound biblical explainations. A newly ordained Reverend, a former member of Living waters Missionary Baptist Church of Camden NJ and a current member of Green Grove Baptist Church of Berlin, NJ. A man of God seeking to build a education ministry or build up the church ministry, by the grace of God and for the Glory of God, through teaching, preaching and encouraging the believers. For this purpose he founded the online Ministry named Berean Bible Fellowship of NJ. Berean Bible Fellowship of NJ is a network of believers in Christ from laymen to Bishops in that discuss the issues of the day so that they may be addressed and the church be edified. He is also available for speaking engagments in the southern NJ area. Prepared to be blessed. You can reach him via email: sanchez856@yahoo.com

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

There has been the accusation against the God of the Bible that calls him a liar. More intellectual opponents of the Bible and the revelations it contains cite two passages from a bible version of their choosing to make their point. These passages are John 7:8-10 and 1 Kings 22:22+23. In both cases it appears that Jesus and the Creator God lied. However, upon closer examination of each texts it is clear that God or Jesus did not lie at all. In the case of John 7:8-10 Jesus never said that he wasn't going up to the feast at all. He told his brothers that He was not going to the feast with them upon their invitation and encouragement. In the case of 1 Kings 22:22+23, God did not do the lying but allowed a lying spirit to speak through those prophets. So does God lie? No, but if someone refuses to believe in him he sends to them confirmation of whatever they do believe. (2 Thessalonians 2:11). He does this to separate the believing from the unbelieving, the true believer from the false believer, the God worshiper from the idol worshiper. Only God can do this being the judge of all men. This is why I have said on many of occasions that the worse type of deception is self deception, and woe unto the person who believes a strong delusion that is so strong that it is impossible for them to see the truth. So God does not lie to those who believe in him or do not believe in him, it is people choose to believe the lying spirit which tells them to not have faith in the God of the Bible. Who is this lying Spirit that is allowed to deceive the masses? It is Satan, who uses people to blind the eyes of those who would believe in Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:4) The next question is why God can not lie? A few reasons we show why God can not lie to anyone. They are as follows:1) God can not lie after He has made a promise about a matter (Titus 1:2).2) God can not lie to those who has made a covenant with (Hebrews 6:18).3) Even though we were made in the image of God, and are capable of lying, God is not like us in that respect (Numbers 23:19). - The common issue that arises out of this understanding is the following rational: Is therefore Jesus God? He was a man was he not? The Bible says that God is not a man. So Jesus can not be God. Here is where the understanding of different dispensations from which God chooses to speak to mankind comes in. It the Old Testament, God chose to speak through the prophets. In the New Testament God, chose to speak through his Son. (Hebrews 1:1-4) So at the time the prophet uttered the words of Numbers 23:19 God did not have a son, nor was he a man. The point is that God was not like a man that he needed to lie about anything to anyone. Concerning Jesus being God, it is Jesus, while in a human body that also declared the truth that God is a Spirit, but he also constantly declared that God was his father and the miracles that he performed was the proof of what he was saying about himself was true. In the mindset of the Jews in Jesus' day what Jesus declared about himself was no less than blasphemy. A crime punishable by death. What is blasphemy? Blasphemy is taking that which is holy and of God and associating it with something or someone sinful. In Jesus' case, the religious people viewed Jesus as a man who was born of Samaritan blood, a sinner who claimed the Holy God has his father. In their minds anyone claiming God as his father was also claiming to be just as divine or claiming to be God, because the power authority and characteristics of the son came from his father. For this claim and testimony, they hung Jesus on a cross and after he had expired there upon it, they buried him, but God raised Jesus up from the dead and he began to appear to many, as he has continued to do so in many other parts of the world. Why should we believe all this? a)Because God promised that he would have a son. (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6) -Also that the child would be of the seed of a woman (Genesis 3:15) b) Because God promised that he will make one of the sons of the family of king David his son. (2 Samuel 7:12-15) c) Because God promised that his Son would have to suffer and die. (Luke 1:21; John 1:29) d) Because God promised that he will not let his holy one see the corruption of death. (Psalms 16:8-10) e) Because God declares through his prophets that He alone keeps his own word. (Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 55:8-12) Since it is God who promised, in order for anyone to have faith in His words, His promises, He has to make sure that they are fulfilled. He had no choice but to deliver upon what he promised whether he spoke it directly, or through an angel or a prophet. God had to make good on His word. So God carried out what He had promised concerning Christ, and remains faithful over His word. Even though any one of us may lose faith, He remains faithful. Why? That perchance someone finds faith in Him may find His words still trustworthy and credible. For it is written:"If we believe not, He remaineth faithful: He can not deny Himself..." (2 Timothy 2:13) "For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his
majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a
voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the
holy mount.We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take
heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the
day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God
spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1:16-21)For the God of the Bible is the God that can not lie.

Monday, July 30, 2012

It has become necessary to educate those who believe that divorce is a sinful act. They do this without seeking God and His word for answers about what to do about it first. The word of God is the final authority and I believe the this revelation in the lives of those who believe will find this teaching is anointed and liberating. For those who are seeking the answer to this issue the following biblical information on the concept of Divorce and Remarriage will be helpful. The Bible encourages all to study to show ourselves approved. So just don't take my word for it. Read and study for yourselves.

For those who do not understand Divorce is not sin. If Divorce was sin that places everyone who is divorce in sin or in a sinful status. That is not what Jesus said. Jesus said,"Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery." (Mathew 19:9) Now the escape clause is, "..except for fornication..." for those believers studying this issue. For those who do not know what fornication is, it is having sexual relations without being married to the person you are performing sex with. If this kind of sexual infidelity be found in the marriage then according to the bible divorce is permissible.

Now clearly Jesus wanted to make sure that this divorce and remarriage for anything that was pervasive in his day was stopped. So he placed a warning clause that whosoever marries a divorced person commits adultery. The question is when was that clause stated before the escape clause or after? It appears after. Which means that this too is non applicable to the righteous divorced person who has found infidelity in his former marriage. So it is just the one who has been discovered unfaithful in the former marriage cannot be married again, but the one who is faithful in the former marriage is free and can marry again.

Consider also this: if divorce was sin then why did God commit sin (Jeremiah 3:8) where He divorced Israel? No obviously God did not sin in divorcing Israel, he divorced Israel because he found Israel constantly playing the harlot with other Gods. In other words he found infidelity in his relationship with Israel. We say, as believers that the bible stipulates that God never changes and Jesus is the same yesterday, today and for ever and he is righteous. If that be true, then divorce is not sin but a corrective action. A remedy to make sure that godly people marry godly people. Because godly people are human and get blinded by the same fleshy infatuations that blind unsaved people. Godly people can make judgement errors. Horrific ones. Divorce was a remedy, and is an remedy to a unwanted marriage condition.

Now Divorced people who have been faithful to God and has dissolved the marital union are free to remarry again. They are not bound to live celibate lives for the rest of their lives. Again in Mathew 19:12 Jesus addresses this issue by talking about becoming an eunuch. For those who do not know an eunuch is, an eunuch is a person who has his reproductive organs removed. Jesus states that some have made themselves eunuchs, this does not necessarily mean that they have had their reproductive organs removed, what it means is that they have decided to remain single for the rest of the natural lives and have committed the rest of lives to be in service to God. This condition of celibacy is not mandatory but it is only given to those who can accept it. This makes celibacy optional for the righteous divorced person. Most righteous divorce people can not receive it. That is fine because it is only required of those who can receive it.

Now does God allow remarriage of a divorce Person? Yes He does (Deuteronomy 24:1-3; Leviticus 21:14; Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7:13-16) A Divorced person and a person who is a Widow has similar qualities in that they both have suffered the lost of a loved one. Divorced people go through a lot of grief more than a widow does. What the divorced person has to contend with that is different from the widow is that they may see that person again in their lifetime and old contentions or old Romanticisms may arise only to be frustrated by the ex mate. The Widow does have that problem because all that person has is the memory of his former mate. Now remarriage does not not heal these feelings and only constant prayer, and intercession for the ex spouse can lead to such a thing. What remarriage does for the saved divorced person is provide the needed companionship which now they see the value of. That being said it is God's perfect will is that a divorced person be reconciled to his or her former spouse. If that is possible the righteous divorced person and the ex-mate should seek reconciliation. However, sometimes that is not what God wants for the righteous divorced person, because reuniting with the former spouse may lead to the same problems that caused the marriage to dissolve in the first place. What divorced people need to know that if reuniting with the former spouse is not possible can they marry someone else? The answer is Yes they can, but they have only one attempt in doing this. If they get divorced by their next spouse they are committed to mandatory celibacy for the rest of their lives. That is what is stipulated in Deuteronomy 24:1-3.

Now who can a righteous divorce person marry? A divorce person can not marry a virgin, that is forbidden by the Law of God. A righteous divorce person can only marry another divorced person who was not found unfaithful in their former marriage. A righteous divorce person can marry a widow, there is no commandment against that, I checked that out in the bible. Where there is no law, there is no transgression. Where there is no transgression, there is no evidence of sin. The next possible candidate category may be controversial but I believe that a righteous divorced person can marry an unwed christian mother. Why? Because an unwed christian mother has in a sense joined herself with another but for some reason she is not with him. So an unwed christian mother is like a divorced righteous woman with children. Some unwed christian mothers are mothers before they expect to be through their lack of self control and judgment and know that they cannot be married as a virgin christian bride. Others became Christian after they became mothers, because they know they need help in the raising of the child. The place they come to is the Church. Some of these unwed mothers think they can not be married at all, because they feel that even though God forgives them for what they have done, they have disqualified themselves from being a perfect wife to a quality Christian male. That in my opinion is not true. If God has enough forgiveness for the unwed christian mothers error in judgement, then God also has enough grace to perfect those things that imperfect them. Nevertheless, in my opinion, the unwed mother falls in the category of non-virgin candidates for marriage of a divorced person.

I humbly submit therefore that the Church is missing a whole segment of the population that believe in Christ but believe that they can not be remarried that needs to be ministered to. The demographics of the church congregation have changed, there are more divorced people in our christian communities than we have married people in our churches. This article is an attempt to minister to those who have been divorced in a Christian union and was not the one that was unfaithful in that union. It is my prayer that this article has blessed you.